Pear Custard Pie

Sweet fruit baked in an eggy vanilla custard, Pear Custard Pie is a quick and tasty recipe that is perfect for holiday brunch or a light fall/winter dessert.

Do your holidays go like mine?  Guests come and go over an extended period, making for lots of fun and festive days.  And of course, this means lots of amazing food. 

Now whether it’s for brunch, dessert, or snacking, you can’t go wrong with this festive Pear Custard Pie.  Just as important, it’s easy!  That’s right–and the custard blends in minutes in the blender!

‘Cause, well… anyone besides me conserving energy now? Okay maybe always… 

As a bonus, it’s maybe even a bit healthier than the classic breakfast Blueberry Coffee Cake.  But you can’t tell, I promise.

What is a Custard Pie?

Wikipedia tells us that a custard pie is “any type of uncooked custard mixture added to an uncooked or partially cooked crust and baked together.”  And since this is a Pear Custard Pie, it’s also full of juicy sliced pears. 

This recipe comes from Martha Stewart and the only change I made was to reduce the eggs by one.  A commenter wished it was less egg-y and I could tell (by comparison to past recipes) that it would still thicken, so I made that change. I generally prefer a creamier (vs eggier) flavor in my custards anyway.

Now since I happened to make this shortly after after making my Peach and Berry Clafoutis, I have to note the resemblance between the two dishes.   Both are fruity and custardy and thickened with both eggs and flour.  But it’s also possible to make a custard pie that has no flour at all. 

Yes, so many recipes, so little time!

Why You’ll Love This!

Tasty.  With sweet pears and creamy vanilla custard (that starts to caramelize–yum), the great flavor of this dessert belies its simple preparation!

Lighter and Healthier.  Whether it’s for a simple breakfast or after a heavy holiday meal, a light dessert full of fruit, can be a welcome change of pace!

Easy.  With no crust, and a custard that’s made in the blender, the hardest part of this is slicing the pears.  You can even skip the peeling if you want—I know because that’s what I do!

Festive.  I have styled this Pear Custard Pie two different ways, one for Christmas and the other for… any occasion.  And I decided that it makes me feel happy no matter how I serve it!

What You’ll Need

Ingredient Notes

• Pears.  This provides the pear flavor and fruity goodness.
• Butter.  This adds richness to the custard.
• Sugar.  This sweetens the custard.  I have also tested this successfully using 1/3 cup allulose sweetener with about 10 drops of stevia and baked 25 degrees cooler (to avoid excess browning).
• All-purpose flour.  This helps thicken the custard.
• Vanilla extract.  This adds flavor to the custard.
• Eggs.  This adds richness and helps thicken the custard.
• Milk.  This adds creaminess to the custard.  I used whole milk.
• Salt. This is a flavor enhancer.
• Powdered sugar. Optional, for dusting

Special Tools

• No special tools required!

Step by Step Directions

Preheat oven to 350 F.  Butter or spray a 9-inch pie dish.

Core pears, then slice 1/4 inch thick lengthwise (I didn’t peel mine). Arrange slices, overlapping slightly, in a circle in the buttered pie pan.

In a blender, process remaining ingredients, except powdered sugar, until smooth.

Pour batter over pears.

Bake until slightly golden and firm to touch, about 40 to 45 minutes.

Allow to cool slightly, then dust with powdered sugar. Serve warm or at room temperature, with whipped cream if desired.

How to Serve

One thing I love about this Pear Custard Pie is its versatility.  It’s lovely on a breakfast or brunch table and will shine, even with lots of competing dishes!

For a simpler meal, it is delicious as a standalone breakfast, maybe with some breakfast sausage on the side.  Or consider swerving as a snack with coffee or tea.

Of course, I also love this as an after-dinner dessert.  It’s perfect when you want a taste of something that is neither too sweet or too heavy.  Yes, there’s always room for ice cream, err… fruit desserts!  And no crust means even more lightness.

Now don’t forget this after the holidays.  ‘Cause this would be lovely on your Easter or Mother’s Day table too!

Variations

I think that pears are a seriously underappreciated fruit!  So if you’re looking for some more ideas take a look at my French Pear tart which is easy to make vegan or daily free.  Or stick with the custard but go almond-y this time with my Pear Frangipane Tart.

And for the ultimate in simplicity, how about some nice wine-poached pears!  They make a lovely dessert themselves or go beautifully in a Poached Pear Salad!

Special Diets

I am trying to reduce my sugar consumption so I tested this with allulose and stevia this time.  Since allulose is less sweet than sugar, I used the same amount (1/3 cup) but added about 10 drops of liquid stevia to punch it up a little.  Then I baked it at 325 F because allulose can sometimes brown too much unless the temperature is reduced.

My sister has successfully made pear custard pie with non-dairy milk as well so that is another option. 

Leftovers

Desserts with eggs need to be stored in the refrigerator so cover and store anything you don’t finish and try to finish it within a few days.

And if you have leftover pears, you can always slice and freeze them to make this all winter or even make canned Pears in White Wine Syrup.

Tips & FAQs

Most years, you’ll find pears on the EWG dirty dozen list of most contaminated fruits and vegetables.  So go organic if you can.

And if you really like pears, why not consider planting a backyard pear tree or two if you have the room.

You see, even though commercial pears tend to have higher levels of pesticides, the fruit can often be grown at home with light to no chemical intervention.  The best time to plant a tree might be 20 years ago, but the next best is now (okay when warm weather returns)!

Pear Custard Pie

Sweet pears in an eggy vanilla custard, Pear Custard Pie is a quick and tasty recipe that is perfect for a holiday brunch or light dessert.

Author: Inger

4.67 from 9 votes

Print

Prep Time 15 mins

Cook Time 45 mins

Total Time 1 hr

Course Desserts & Snacks

Cuisine American

Servings 6

Calories 234 kcal

Ingredients

  

1x2x3x

• 3 pears
• 1/4 cup melted butter
• 1/3 cup sugar
• 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 2 large eggs
• 3/4 cup milk
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 Tablespoon powdered sugar for dusting

Instructions

 

• Preheat oven to 350 F
• Butter or spray a 9-inch pie dish. Core pears, then slice 1/4 inch thick lengthwise (I didn’t peel mine). Arrange slices, overlapping slightly, in a circle in the buttered pie pan.
• In a blender, process remaining ingredients, except powdered sugar, until smooth.
• Pour batter over pears. Bake until slightly golden and firm to touch, about 40 to 45 minutes. Allow to cool slightly, then dust with powdered sugar. Serve warm or at room temperature, with whipped cream if desired.

Nutrition

Calories: 234kcalCarbohydrates: 33gProtein: 4gFat: 10gSaturated Fat: 6gPolyunsaturated Fat: 4gCholesterol: 85mgSodium: 190mgFiber: 3gSugar: 21g

I am not a health professional and nutrition data is calculated programatically. Accuracy may vary with product selection, calculator accuracy, etc. Consult a professional for the best information.

Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

Updated from original, published on Dec 22, 2019.

• ← Sugared Cranberries
• Maple Bourbon Pecan Tart →